A non-lethal projectile system for non-lethally inhibiting a living target, multi-functional launching devices for delivering the non-lethal projectile systems to a target, methods of assembling the non-lethal projectiles, and tactical methods of the use of the non-lethal projectile, the non-lethal projectile consists of a projectile body to be impacted with a living target and an inhibiting substance within the projectile body, wherein upon impact with the target, the inhibiting substance is dispersed on and about the target. In a variation, the projectile body ruptures upon impact releasing the substance. In another variation, the inhibiting substance is a powdered substance comprising a powdered pepper derived substance, for example, oleoresin capsicum or capsaicin.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A system comprising: a frangible projectile to be impacted with a target; the frangible projectile comprising a rigid frangible shell having a thickness and a volume formed within, wherein the rigid rangible shell ruptures upon impact with the target; and a substance contained within the volume and occupying at least about 50% of the volume; wherein the substance comprises a powdered inhibiting substance, wherein upon impact with the target the rigid frangible shell ruptures, thereby radially dispersing the powdered inhibiting substance proximate to the target into a cloud; and wherein the rigid frangible shell comprises: a first part; a second part attached to the first part to contain the volume, the volume being formed within the first part and the second part; a fill hole formed within the second part, the second part including a flange at a perimeter of the fill hole; and a third part having a rim seated against the fill hole and a portion of the third part overlapping the flange.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the frangible projectile is without a cartridge containing an ignitable powder for launching the frangible projectile.
3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a compressed gas launcher for launching the frangible projectile.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the rigid frangible shell includes a material selected from the group consisting of polymers and plastics.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein the rigid frangible shell further comprises at least one structurally weakening feature.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the substance further comprises a solid substance contained within the volume.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein the substance further comprises a weighting substance contained with the volume.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein the substance further comprises a marking substance contained within the volume.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein the powdered inhibiting substance includes at least one of capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, nordihydrocapsaicin, and nonivamide.
10. The system of claim 1 wherein the powdered inhibiting substance includes a capsaicinoid wherein the capsaicinoid is one of three capsaicinoids: capsaicin, dihydrtcapsaicin, and nordihydrocapsaicin.
11. The system of claim 1 wherein the powdered inhibiting substance comprises at least 0.1% of capsaicin by volume.
12. The system of claim 1 wherein the powdered inhibiting substance comprises at least 1% of capasaicin by volume.
13. The system of claim 1 wherein the powdered inhibiting substance comprises a powdered substance having particle sizes less than 1000 microns in diameter.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
April 5, 2000
April 8, 2003
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